JASON DILL – DREAM EASY

INTERVIEW BY TODD JORDAN PORTRAITS BY CHRIS SHONTING

Jason Dill, or quite simply Dill, does not consider himself an artist. Well, he can think what he’d like of himself, but to me, as someone that I’ve known of for decades and have known personally for a long time now, he is the epitome of art. He kind of just is art. He has a certain presence, both on and off of his skateboard, that really just makes it difficult to not watch him. And he also has a way of saying things that makes it absolutely impossible to not listen to him. Dill has recently had a book published entitled “Dream Easy” consisting of photographs he has taken, images he has made, and images he has saved. To me, this book is another example of no matter what it is that Jason Dill is doing it is done well and you simply just can’t not look at it.

Todd Jordan: How did this project come into play? I feel that not many people know about this book because it was published in Japan and I’m curious how it all came about.

Jason Dill: Pretty much just through the Fucking Awesome distribution in Tokyo, Neutron…

They wanted me to do a project, I asked them what? They said, “anything you want.” I figured, “Fuck it, I’ll do a book.” Though admittedly I am very self-conscious of my photos most of the time and have pretty much kept them to myself until now.

TJ: I know about the Dill X Fuck This Life book done for Supreme, but is this your first solo publishing?

JD: Yea… Fuck This Life was a bit easier cause it was me and Dave, I was kinda freaked out to put out my own shit. I always feel like what I’m doing isn’t good enough to show. This is the first time I have had this many images come out at once.

TJ: Have you ever self published anything in the past?

JD: No, I’ve only had a little bit of stuff published in magazines before FTL and Dream Easy.

TJ: How old were you when you made the polaroid that was used as the cover image?

JD: I am 9, maybe 10 years old in that photo.

TJ: Do you have a lot of images from your past such as that one or is this one kind of the

long lost lonely polaroid?

JD: I have a few images I shot as a child. My mother sent me some others recently.

TJ: Lets talk about some of the other images in the book.

Can you tell me about both of these on this spread? The image on the left looks so old judging by the cars that are visible. Where and when was that taken?

JD: Well, the guy blowing the fire was taken in Mexico City about 5 years ago.

TJ: And as for the image on the right, what the fuck happened there?

JD: Its of my left wrist being set, I had just broken it for the 3rd time… That’s in Akron, Ohio a few years ago. I remember that nurse being so funny. She was a bit squeamish about my arm, and not too stoked on being in the shot with my broken arm. I love her hand and the look on her face… Look at that medieval contraption they put me in. I broke my wrist again (4th time) 4 months ago.

TJ: That photo of you and dash here is pretty epic if I may say so. Were times like this a regular occurrence when the two of you got together? Do you remember that specific night well?

JD: Ummm… I mean sometimes. I love the Snowman. I miss him terribly. Yea, I remember that night/early morning very well. As gay as we look in that photo, a girl shot it… A girl that I was seeing at the time.

TJ: And can you tell us a little bit about this spread? To me it looks like the same girl… Is that the case?

JD: That’s an old ex-girlfriend, Dash found that phone sex ad with her in it and gave it to me. She would always complain that I didn’t shoot photos of “us” with my polaroid. I remember that night her asking the waitress to take our picture with the polaroid at some diner up near the U.N., I think it was in December… look how fuckin’ pissed off I am in the photo! (laughter)

I think I was low on film… Anyway, yea… That’s my ex from 99 – 2001… What a handful. Shit, I was a bit of a handful too at the time.

TJ: These are clearly 2 different cats, right? Where did you run into them at? I’ve got some similar images from some of my travels and you don’t normally see dead cats like that on the sidewalks or streets in the US. I’m guessing Eastern Europe…

JD: Yea, 2 kittens. Worst thing I have ever shot, they were obviously murdered somehow. And I actually shot them in Atlanta. So fucked.

TJ: When creating your mixed media or collage images, is it a lot of trial and error or do things just kind of pop out at you and stick? Could you just tell me a little bit about your creative process when making the collages or image comparisons you do?

JD: I don’t make collages. If I find something in a book or magazine that I like, sometimes I’ll rip it out and save it for Fucking Awesome… As far as my photos and the way I lay them out, I got all that kinda stuff from Dash. He showed me how to fold the pages and lay them out in order by hand, make the books and just how one thing could go with another once you are putting them back-to-back in book form. Taking pictures is just taking pictures… The only example of any “creative process” out of me is fuckingawesome.net

TJ: Is “Dream Easy” going to be released or made more available in the US? Or is it and I just don’t know?

JD: The book is available at Supreme. I’m happy to say that it sold out of the Supreme Los Angeles store yesterday. How is that for a toot of my own horn? What an asshole!

TJ: And what have you got lined up next? I know you’ve been skating a shit load lately and I’ve been seeing some really rad things of you Dill… Got a video part in the works? Art show? Stay healthy?

JD: Thanks Todd… Umm… Uh, I don’t make art. I skate. I make FA. Smoke, coffee, masturbate, sleep and repeat. I’m the fucking picture of health.

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